The present invention relates to a baling machine for forming cylindrical bales of crop and more particularly relates to a support assembly for forming a discharge ramp for such a machine.
Machines, towed by a tractor, for forming large cylindrical bales of hay (so called "round balers") are well-known. As the machine advances, the crop is removed from a windrow by a pickup mechanism and delivered rearwardly to a baling chamber where it is rolled into a bale.
There are basically two forms of such machines, namely those with a fixed volume baling chamber defined by driven fixed-position rolls and those with a baling chamber defined by runs of driven belts which move outwardly to enlarge the chamber to accommodate the bale as it grows in size. In both forms the hay is caused by the driven movement of the rolls or belts to toll around upon itself into a core and the core rotates about its horizontal axis and finally a completed bale is formed, the chamber being fed throughout with hay. The completed bale is tied with twine to maintain its shape and is discharged by rolling through a gate formed by a rear portion of the machine.
The gate is swingable about a horizontal pivot axis located at the top of the baler so that the gate moves rearwardly and upwardly from a closed position in which it is approximately vertical to a fully open position at an angle of about sixty degrees to the vertical at which the completed bale can pass freely under it.
It is generally known to provide a support, for the bale, which can be swung against a spring loading to a ramp position to enable the bale to roll down it onto the ground at discharge. However, there is sometimes a tendency for the bale not to roll sufficiently away from the gate on reaching the ground. In these circumstances, if it is attempted to close the gate it will foul the bale lying below it, and so the baler has to be maneuvered to clear this obstruction before the gate can successfully be shut with consequent loss of time in the harvesting operation.
In GB-A No. 2 138 354 it has been proposed to provide a horizontal grid, supporting the bale, which is triggered to move against a spring loading to a downwardly inclined position immediately when opening of the gate has started. After discharge, an automatic signal indicates to the driver whether the bale is clear of the gate swing area. The grid extends far beyond the rear of the machine when the gate is closed so that the bale would probably be deposited sufficiently clear of the gate generally to enable closure without fouling. However, this adds significantly to the overall length of the machine.
Each of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 089,282 filed on Aug. 25, 1987 and U.S. application Ser. No. 108,329 filed on Oct. 14, 1987 disclose a support assembly somewhat like that of the aforementioned GB-A No. 2 138 354 but having a support member that does not extend beyond the rear of the closed gate and has its lowering controlled by a cable attached to the discharge gate. While the support assemblies disclosed in these applications operate satisfactorily they require rather strong springs which serve to give a discharged bale a "kick" to ensure that it moves beyond the opened gate a distance sufficient for the bale to close.
The present invention reduces or eliminates the problem of insufficient rolling of the bale from the gate, without the necessity for increasing the length of the machine or the necessity for providing relatively strong biasing springs, by a very simple design.